


summer fun, something's begun

by londer



Category: Dimension 20, Fantasy High
Genre: Being gay but not really doing any crime, Canon Divergence AU, F/F, F/M, Fake Dating, Gen, Getting Together, Lifeguards AU, Like they're still fantasy people they just dont have a ton of cool powers and stuff, M/M, Multi, Mumple AU, Polyamory, Summer Camp AU, npc au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25216645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/londer/pseuds/londer
Summary: Six weeks working as counselors at Camp Pine Lake. Summer crushes, shenanigans, and s'mores ensue.
Relationships: Adaine Abernant/Ayda Aguefort/Figueroth Faeth, Adaine Abernant/Figueroth Faeth, Kristen Applebees/Tracker O'Shaughnessey, Riz Gukgak/Fabian Aramais Seacaster, Zelda Donovan/Gorgug Thistlespring
Comments: 29
Kudos: 168





	summer fun, something's begun

**Author's Note:**

> I'm calling this one the Mumple au cause like, they're normal teens, but still fantasy creatures. So nobody has like crazy powers or guns or wahtever, they're just a bunch of NPCs who go to mumple and work at camp. All their parents are chill and /not dating each other/ or pyschos/homophobes/etc.

**_Week one_ **

It's not entirely clear how it happens. Someone cracks a joke in a staff meeting and Fabian responds with another joke, but it gets interpreted wrong and now the entire summer camp staff thinks that he and Riz are dating. By the time either of them has realized what's happening it's spread to the kids and then it's all over, because the more they protest the guiltier they look. 

"It's not real!" Fabian insists to Adaine as his cabin works on their big Orcas poster during arts and crafts. 

"I know, Fabian," she sing-songs as she braids away at her gimp, fingers flying over the strands. It's impressive, but he doesn't really understand why she doesn't just use Mage Hand to work on it. It's a cantrip, for fuck's sake. "It's kinda funny, you have to be honest." 

"It's _not_ ," he whines, drops his head onto his arms. Adaine gives him a condescending pat-pat on his shoulder. 

"How do I stop this?" he asks Fig during their music session. 

"Stop you and Riz from going to the bone zone?" Fig asks innocently. She hits _pause_ on the music and the kids scramble for chairs. "Kaylin, you're out!" A girl groans, and the music resumes. "Maybe this is a good thing, you know."

"How." 

"Your campers tolerate you, but they _love_ him. He's a returner and has a whole extra summer on you; they already know him!" 

Fabian just groans and drops flat onto the stage. This is a nightmare. 

Archery. Gorgug just shrugs, hands him a clipboard to keep score for the kids. 

Swim lessons, which he's been dreading all day. Riz waves at him from where he's sitting off-duty in a grey t-shirt and board shorts, the cheeky fuck, and all of Fabian's campers _oooo_ like the little shits they are. He herds them into the changing rooms and stomps across the sand to sit with Kristen and Riz at the picnic table. 

"Hey," he says shortly, drops onto one of the benches. 

"Wow," Riz says dryly. "What a way to greet your boyfriend." Fabian gives him a dirty look and Kristen giggles. Riz's face softens, green skin flushing a little blue. "I can talk to Jawbone and get it shut down if you're really uncomfortable." 

Fabian sighs. "Thanks. It's fine, I guess?" 

"I feel like you're missing the big picture here, Fabian," Kristen says. "Like, yeah, I know, you guys aren't _actually_ dating, but if you _were_ and I'm _not saying you secretly are!_ If you _were_ then you would always have someone to do counselor challenges with. And three-legged races. And have someone to sit with at bonfires. And be able to take out the two person kayaks. _AND!-"_ she can clearly tell she's losing them. "Most importantly: the kids will think you guys are cool! You get to be the chill counselor with a boyfriend! They won't bug you about who your crush is _literally all the time._ " 

Fabian's only worked at camp for three days now and he already knows that he doesn't want to spend the entire summer listening to children laugh at him whenever he talks to another staff member his age. "Fine," he says. "If Riz is cool with it, then we'll just. Go with it." 

" _We'll just go with it_ ," Riz mocks. "Way to make a girl feel special, Seacaster." 

They make faces at each other, but Fabian's starting to get some ideas. He waves Riz over to sit with his cabin at dinner that night. Riz looks skeptical but sits across from him and Fabian nudges their feet together. Half the cafeteria is staring at them, but he just smiles blithely at Riz and slides him his slice of chocolate cake. Riz narrows his eyes at Fabian but he also blushes blue and takes a bite and Fabian just keeps smiling and ignores everyone else. He's got this fake boyfriend thing in the _bag_.

//

It's Tuesday afternoon, which Fig has free of camper sessions, so she's doing her usual walk-around through camp. If anyone is doing something interesting with their kids she'll usually stop and join in, get in a few rounds of Ninja or Tag or whatever. She's approaching the art cabin and from inside comes an ungodly pair of screeching and one of the voices is definitely Adaine so Fig _runs_. 

She radios for anyone in the area to come help and kicks open the door. Adaine is standing on one of the tables holding out a pair of scissors in self defense. On the floor before her is the biggest raccoon Fig's ever seen, and the two of them are just screaming at each other. 

"What the fuck," Fig says because. Holy shit. That is a lot of raccoon, it's basically the size of a medium sized dog or a very small dragon. Adaine stops screaming, but the raccoon keeps making this awful chittering screech. 

"I came back from lunch and it was just -" There's a wild look in Adaine's eyes and her long ears are pressed flat against her head. "What do we _do?_ " 

Ragh bursts through the door behind Fig. "IS EVERYONE OKAY?" He takes one look at the raccoon and he bares his tusks at it. "Holy shit, bro, that's fuckin' huge. You alright, Adaine?" 

"Yeah," she says, looking more annoyed and less panicked now. "How do we, like, get it out? Do we call someone?" 

Their radios are all buzzing with chatter as people try to figure out what's going on. "We're okay," Fig radios out and her voice echoes on Ragh and Adaine's belts. "Monster raccoon in the art shack. Jawbone, can you come help us get rid of it? Over." 

Fig can almost hear the enormous sigh Jawbone must have let out before he radios back, "Sure thing, be there in five. Over." 

It takes two garbage cans, three plastic bin lids and the handle of a broom, but they get the bastard out of the art shack and Jawbone and Ragh take him to the far side of camp to ditch him in the woods. 

"Thank god that's over," Adaine says, and Fig pulls her into a good hug and plants a kiss on her cheek, because holy shit. 

Wednesday is boring, except for when Fabian gives Riz his dessert at dinner. 

"They're _so_ cheesy oh my god," Kristen says. "Twenty bucks says they accidentally fall in love and start dating for real by the end of camp." 

"No way," Adaine says and shakes on it with Kristen. "Riz can do better." 

On Thursday Adaine makes Fig a new tie-dye shirt in pretty pinks and purples and Fig almost immediately rips a hole in the collar with her horns putting it on, which, sad, but also looks cool and punk. She's definitely wearing it to DJ tomorrow's dance. Adaine's so thoughtful, Fig's gonna have to come up with something good to get her back.

Friday morning and Fig's teaching the Bull Sharks how to play zip zap zop when Adaine radios just two words in a tone of absolute dread. "It's. Back." 

So Fig leaves the kids with Tracker and takes off running towards the art shack because (Adaine needs her) she's gotta see this. Adaine's not on the table this time and she looks a lot angrier than before as the raccoon stares her down as it eats a crayon. 

Fig arrives right after Jawbone does, who's already on the camp cell phone calling animal control.

"Fucker," Adaine says darkly, and Fig is a little worried that this is like. Adaine's villain origin story. Should Fig be more worried about that? She snuggles closer into Adaine during campfire that night, just in case. It would suck if Adaine transferred to Aguefort and went all aggro on them.

**_Week two_ **

Kristen's on call in the nurse's office on Tuesdays. She woke up feeling like absolute shit, cried a little in the shower before breakfast. Tracker sat with Ragh and her cabin in the dining hall and Kristen didn't have it in her to put on a smiley face so she took her breakfast to go, leaving her cabin with Antiope for the day. 

The nurse's office is cool and quiet, so she drops her head onto her desk and lets herself breathe. Her hackles are raised and her heart is beating super fast and she can't quite pinpoint why. Kristen sends up a little prayer to Helio to ask for some help and lines up some corn kernels along the windowsill as an offering. 

Tracker ducks her head into the office. Kristen can't meet her eyes. "Hey," she says quietly as she sits on the edge of Kristen's desk. "Everything okay?" 

"No," Kristen says and it comes out mean and bitey and she feels even worse for it. "Shitty day. Already. It's whatever." 

"It's not whatever if it's how you feel," Tracker says softly. "Do you want to call out for today?"

" _No_. Just," and Kristen is not going to cry, she hates crying in front of Tracker, girlfriends or no. "I'm-" It comes out like a sob and Tracker takes her hand gently, giving her plenty of time to pull away. 

"Hug?" She offers. Kristen nods and then she's nodding into Tracker's chest as she's pulled into her strong arms. She's probably getting snot and tears all over Tracker's shirt, which, _gross_. "I'm sorry, baby." Tracker holds her and Kristen cries because her whole brain hurts and she doesn't really even know why. "I can't stay," Tracker says, pulls away to grab tissues to mop at Kristen's face. "But I'll stop by when I can?" 

Kristen nods, blows her nose. "Okay." 

Tracker kisses her forehead, her nose, and then her mouth before grabbing her walkie and clipboard off the desk. "I'll see you soon." 

Nobody comes in for the first few hours, which is nice, it means Kristen gets to mope around and feel sorry for herself in private. Zelda shows up with two of her Chipmunks who need ice packs after a head-on collision. Kristen puts on her best bedside manner to patch the girls up and sends them on their way. 

Tracker shows up around eleven with one of her campers who claims to have stomach pains. Kristen gives her a ginger ale and some saltines and lets her lie down on a cot. 

"Holding up okay?" Tracker asks, pulling Kristen into a hug and kissing the top of her head. Her camper makes a little _ew gross_ noise in the other room. "Taylor, I thought you were sick?" 

"I feel better now," Taylor says and Tracker mumbles something like _faker_.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Kristen says. She still feels like there's a fog in her brain space but she hasn't cried in a little while so maybe it's true. 

"Okay," Tracker twirls Kristen's ponytail around before grabbing her bag. "If she's healed then we'll head out." 

"Bye Kristen," Taylor says and troops out the door looking perfectly healthy. 

Kristen's about to leave for lunch a little while later when Tracker shows up with another camper. "Twisted ankle," she says, helping the girl sit into a chair. 

Kristen casts _cure wounds_ and accepts another hug and a cheek kiss from Tracker while Elizabeth walks around the office testing her ankle to be sure it doesn't hurt anymore. "Come back if it hurts still," she tells her and Elizabeth just nods eagerly. She seems pretty chipper about the whole thing, which is funny because she got a splinter a few weeks ago and screamed like a banshee the whole time. 

She eats lunch with Fig and Gorgug but doesn't engage in any conversation before going back to the office. There's an empty feeling in her chest that she can't quite shake. 

Tracker's in, _again_ at one thirty with a skinned knee case that Kristen cleans up before sending them on their way. Her campers must really be having a rough day. Tracker presses a bunch of little kisses to her cheek before they head back to the rest of the cabin. 

It comes out at three, when Tracker comes in with a camper whose nose is dripping red with...ketchup. 

"What in Helio's name-" Kristen asks, before spinning on Tracker, who's leaning against her desk looking guilty. "This is ketchup." 

"Yes," Tracker says. "I mean, what? It's ketchup?!"

"Ketchup doesn't come out of noses." 

"It could!" 

"It _doesn't_." 

"Okay, fine, it doesn't. Emily, thank you for your performance, it was very convincing, you'll get your extra s'mores tonight," Emily stops fake crying and pulls her hands away from her dripping nose. She ducks into the bathroom to go clean up her face and Kristen is left standing there staring at Tracker, who pulls her into another hug. 

"I wanted to check on you," Tracker says into her hair. "Since you weren't having a good day." 

"That's," Kristen says into Tracker's shoulder. "That's actually really cute. Wait, did you make that girl skin her own knee?" 

"She wasn't even my camper, I borrowed her from Penny when she got hurt," Tracker admits and Kristen giggles. "I hate seeing you sad, I wanted to make sure you were doing okay.' 

"Yeah. I am. Mostly." 

"Okay," Tracker tucks a stray hair back into Kristen's ponytail and kisses her quickly. "I'll see you at dinner, then."

//

Gorgug loves the peace and quiet that come with the archery range, but he doesn't love how restrictive and isolatory it can feel. Sometimes he watches Zelda with her campers, the easy familial bond she gets to have with them, and wonders if maybe next summer he should ask Jawbone to move him to a normal counselor job. 

Other nights, she texts him at three a.m. to come help her out because three girls are crying and a fourth is throwing up and she and Penny need an extra set of hands to keep things moving, he's pretty glad to not be dealing with the kids all the time. After those kinds of nights, he makes sure to grab her an extra s'more and take her down to the dock to dip their feet into the lake because Zelda works so freaking hard and deserves a nice little break sometimes.

**//**

The theme for the dance tonight is neon which is not super creative but it's fine, Fig can definitely work with it. She and Adaine are the camp dance DJs and they've spent every night this week curled up in Fig's bunk putting together the playlist for it. It's a lot of pop and kid-appropriate rave music with just a couple slow songs peppered in because Adaine makes a really good point about how much Kristen is gonna bug them about it if she can't sway on the floor with Tracker with not nearly enough room for Helio between them.

They scoot back to the bunks right after dinner to get ready together on Friday night. One of the perks of being specialists instead of regular staff is that they got to dibs the side room off of the main girls' staff bunks so it's just the two of them together. It's fucking _ideal_ to have her ~~crush~~ bff as her only roomie because they never get mad at each other about lights out or wanting to talk late into the night.

"Oh my _heaven and nine hells_ , Adaine!" Fig squeals when Adaine poses to show her her outfit. Adaine's just so pretty, she's got these cool black cargo pants with a belt chain and a neon pink crop top. "You look so fucking hot omg. Like, literally I'm gonna die!" She pretends to faint backwards from where she's sitting on the floor in front of their mirror doing her makeup. 

"Stoppp," Adaine says, and she's extra cute when she blushes and Fig is super not staring nope not at all. Adaine sits on Fig's bed to do up her very sensible black platform heels. " _You_ look so hot!" 

She's not wrong. It's hard to match reddish-purple skin with neon, but Fig found this sick neon blue dress to wear over a white t-shirt and matching sweatbands for her horns and it's just really a good look, okay. The two of them make little squealy noises of excitement and compliment at each other as Adaine digs her makeup bag out of her dresser. 

"Almost done?" Adaine asks. 

"Gimme a sec," Fig says, applying one last swipe of mascara. "Gotcha, babe." She scoops her makeup back into its bag and staggers to her feet, bumping shoulders with Adaine as they swap spots. "Need any help?" 

"Mmm, maybe," Adaine says as she starts twisting her hair into space buns (it's so freaking cute, Fig's obsessed). "Remember that cool eyeshadow you did for Pride last year?" 

"Yes!" Fig's back on the floor next to Adaine in a heartbeat. "Do you want me to do it on you?" 

"Ahhh, yes! But like, more pink to match me?" 

"Abso _lutely_." 

Adaine sits back against the mirror and Fig's fully sitting in her lap holding an eyeshadow palette. This feels like a gay meme, how Adaine's eyes flutter under Fig's careful brushes and how Fig's own shoulders block out the light from the room so Adaine's pupils look really big. She's careful not to let her hands shake as she blends carefully and then without even asking grabs Adaine's eyeliner to give her little cateyes. Adaine just tilts her face back, jaw slack, lets Fig cup her chin to tilt her face where she needs to.

"Lipgloss?" Fig asks softly and ah, fuck, her voice is kinda hoarse. Adaine nods and she blindly grabs the first tube from Adaine's makeup bag. She carefully paints Adaine's mouth in sheer pink, tries not to fixate on how her full lower lip drags under the brush. "Look at me?" She asks softly, hand still holding Adaine's jaw from when she was working. Fig just meant to check to be sure that her eyes are symmetric but Adaine looks at her darkly through her lashes and. 

Oh. Well. 

She _is_ sitting in Adaine's lap and holding her face, so it's pretty easy to duck in and kiss her. The lipgloss is kinda gross and gritty but Adaine kisses her back right away, slides her hands to fist into the material at Fig's sides. She kisses sweetly and gently and Fig's whole brain has to reboot because of it, because this is _Adaine Abernant_ , the prettiest smartest girl in their year at Mumple who simply doesn't take any shit from anyone. And Fig's sitting in her lap and kissing her on the floor of their shared room at their summer job and Adaine tastes like toothpaste and plasticky lipgloss and Fig wants to sit here forever and never move again. 

**_Week three_ **

Riz is on lifeguard duty when Fabian herds his Orcas down to swim lessons in the lake. He deposits them with their instructor and keeps his head held high as he makes his way up the beach to Riz's chair to a chorus of giggling gossipy nine year olds. 

"Hey," Riz says from his perch on his chair, lounging out with his stupid floaty thing across his lap and sunglasses on. The sun bounces off his green skin and Fabian can see the faint sheen of his sweat and sunscreen. He pouts his lips at Fabian as Fabian climbs the ladder to join him on the seat. "Pay the toll." 

This is a nightmare, but it's also keeping Fabian popular with his kids. They all love Riz and so they like Fabian by proxy. Mostly they like getting to roast Fabian about it. He obediently plants a kiss on Riz's cheek, close enough that it probably looks like it's on the mouth, and tries not to think too hard about the screeches coming from his campers. He sprawls out beside Riz and drapes an arm behind Riz's shoulders because hey, two can play this game. "Anyone drown this shift?"

Riz scoffs at that. "As if. Anyone eat glue today?" 

"Yes," Fabian says. Nine year old boys are disgusting and dare each other to do disgusting things. Riz laughs and leans back into him, eyes still trained on the water. 

"So." 

"So, what?" 

"Are we going to the dance together tomorrow?" 

Riz jolts, looks away from the water briefly before turning back. "Not if that's how you're going to ask me." 

Fabian rolls his eyes because _honestly._ "What, you want me to give you a big promposal?" 

Riz blushes, which is fun because he turns this pretty shade of turquoise and his tail flicks nervously. "Maybe." 

"Fine," Fabian says, because he's not a coward. "Just making sure you'll say yes if I do." 

"I mean, who else am I gonna go with?" It's not even self-deprecating, just honest. Fabian's really proud of how far Riz's confidence has come this summer.

"Done deal, the Ball," Fabian claps him on the back. 

He promposes at the campfire that night. There's a dance number (Fig helped) and a really big poster that rolls down at the end (Adaine helped) and he gets down on one knee with a RingPop from the commissary (Sam hadn't even charged him, total score). Riz is laughing so hard he gets the hiccups and can barely say yes. The campers all lose their shit as they hug, hollering and laughing while the staff (who are also losing it, despite most of them being in on organizing it) try to keep some kind of order. It's the kind of thing that will end up in camp lore for a while .

They sit together for the rest of the campfire, knocking knees together, and then Fabian walks him back to the staff bunks once he's sure the Orcas are in their cabin with their counselor in training. 

"You're the worst," Riz is still hiccuping and flushed as he sucks on his RingPop happily. "That was so embarrassing oh my god." 

"You said promposal, I gave you a promposal!" Fabian's laughing too because it really was fucking crazy. He can hardly believe he managed to pull it all off. They stop outside the staff bunks."I'll pick you up at eight tomorrow?" 

"Oh my god, " Riz shoves him gently. "Yes, fine, god, you're so embarrassing." 

Fabian hugs Riz goodnight because he can feel the eyes of the other waterfront staff watching them through the windows. "You're really okay with all this, right?" He asks quietly in Riz's ear. 

"Yeah, of course," Riz says back, just as soft. "You think I'd let you get away with this bullshit if I wasn't? Besides, it makes the rest of the lake staff think I'm cool, so it's totally worth putting up with your shit." He pulls back from the hug, kisses Fabian's cheek, and says much louder, "Night babe!" 

**//**

Camp Discovery starts this week on the far side of the lake. There's a friendly rivalry between the two, but no real bad blood; Discovery is a science camp and Pine Lakes is a residential classic. The campers don't interact much beyond waving to each other from boats and the yearly Intercamp Challenge, but the counselors will sometimes have little get togethers on one side or the other. 

"It's like Romeo and Juliet but nobody dies and also nobody is mad about it," Sam had explained as she led Adaine and a few other counselors through the woods. "Bigger dating pool _and_ you don't have to work with them every day _and_ get to roast each other over the Challenge. It's super lit." 

Fig's holding Adaine's hand because they said the other day that they were _girlfriends_ (ah!!) so Adaine's not concerned at all with, like, meeting new people at the party tonight. They're just going to have some fun with their friends. 

Adaine ends up sitting by the fire on the edge of the party, just watching the action and sipping at her vodka cran (it's like, 90% cran 10% vodka). She doesn't mind it one bit, especially since the fire's going really well so she's not getting too eaten up by bugs and because this really cool girl from Discovery is talking to her. Ayda's hot, literally, with flaming hair and wings, and Adaine learns that she's half phoenix and is the research specialist for the camp. She's _so_ cool, Adaine can't wait for Fig to meet her. 

"I just really hate glitter," Adaine's explaining. "It gets everywhere and it's impossible to actually clean up after!" 

"Yes," Ayda says. She's a very very good listener to Adaine's rambling. Ayda's so warm from her flames that this is definitely the best place to be sitting against the night chill. "That does sound terribly inconvenient. I can understand why you banned it from your camp." 

"Banning it barely even worked," Adaine says, and some of her drink sloshes out of her cup when she waves her hand in annoyance. "I keep finding it everywhere anyways! I don't know where it comes from! Fig!" Fig's walking by them towards the snack stump. "Fig, tell Ayda about my war on glitter." 

"Fig Faeth," Fig says, offers a hand to Ayda, who shakes it politely. "Adaine really hates glitter and is on a personal vendetta to remove every last sparkle from Pine Lake." 

"See!" Adaine says. 

Fig squeezes the back of her neck gently, brushes some of Adaine's hair over her shoulder. "You need anything? I'm going on a pretzel run." 

"Nah, I'm good." Fig smiles at her before she leaves and Adaine's heart double thumps in her chest because Fig's just so damn hot and kind. "Tell me more about your research?" 

"It's mostly arcane research and spell development," Ayda says immediately. Her eyes glow like coals in the dark. "Writing new methodologies that build upon existing magic systems in novel ways. For example, modifying _lay hands_ to impact only the area of the body being impacted. It can be more effectively utilized to staunch bleeding, for example, on amputations." 

"That's so interesting!" Adaine says, and she really means it, that's so cool. "How does it work?" 

Ayda starts talking about mechanics and intonation and spell components. Adaine's so mesmerized that she doesn't even notice when Fig comes back with two fists full of pretzels and sits on the ground forming a little triangle of the three of them. Fig asks a question and it must be a good one because Ayda's hair flames spark up and she turns towards Fig to eagerly answer her. The firelight gleams off her dark skin and Fig's face is so cute in profile and Adaine's a little buzzed but like. They're both just so beautiful and she wants to watch them talk to each other for a really long time. 

They stumble back to camp at nearly three am, holding hands and giggling as they tiptoe through the staff bunk to their room so they don't wake the handful of people who didn't go out tonight. 

"She's so cool," Fig says, lying on Adaine's bunk and watching her take off her makeup.

"Ayda?" Adaine asks and Fig nods, is blushing a little bit. "She's literally the coolest." And maybe Adaine is blushing a little too. "We should all hang out again sometime. Maybe she's a weekender and we can meet up in town."

"Hells yes," Fig says, and kisses Adaine when she slides into her bunk. "Night baby." 

**_Week four_ **

It's Intercamp Challenge week, which is the most fun week of the year according to the returning staff. Five days where the campers do a bunch of insane activities and fight for points between the two camps. Winning camp gets possession of this gods-awful macaroni-shaped trophy until the following year. It's mostly fixed so that it swaps back and forth between the camps every year or every other year, but they still go hard every year hyping their campers up. It's Pine Lake's turn to reclaim the trophy from Discovery, and the excitement in the air is palpable on the bus ride over to Discovery for the opening ceremony and carnival.

//

Fabian's in the dunk tank for the opening carnival which is his personal nightmare because the water is tepid and greasy. He thanks all the gods that nobody here is particularly good at hitting the target. 

Until Riz shows up, off duty from the lake, grinning with a wicked look in his eye. 

"Don't you dare," Fabian mouths and Riz just snickers and twiddles his fingers at him in a little wave before weaving off into the crowd. He's so short that Fabian loses him right away and besides, Duncan, this nasty little fuck who plays travel BloodRush is stepping up to throw and he has other things to worry about. 

Duncan doesn't manage to get him in, but it turns out he has plenty to worry about anyways. Riz comes skipping back to the booth with a giant cotton candy in one hand and Ragh's hand in the other. Fabian gives him his best stink look and Riz just winks at him and takes a giant bite of his snack.

Ragh waves to Fabian cheerfully and dunks him on his first throw. Fabian hits the water with a sad little _sploosh_ and even through the rush of water in his ears he can hear the campers outside cheering. He resurfaces and is met with the sight of Riz standing on the ladder to the tank with a towel in hand. Riz looks a little sheepish but also extremely delighted and it's pretty annoying how that makes Fabian's heart flip in his chest.

Fabian heaves himself up onto the side and takes the towel from him, scrubs at his face and hair. "Thanks," he says. "Although you did owe me for bringing Ragh over here." 

"Anytime," Riz says sweetly, and pops up the last few rungs of the ladder, leans over, and kisses Fabian's damp cheek. 

//

Wednesday is Pine Lake's day to host, and Adaine is scrambling to reorganize the art shack after a particularly enthusiastic group came through. Ayda pokes her head in the door. 

"Adaine," she says, and Adaine jerks up from where she's frantically stuffing scrap paper into the scrap bucket. "Are you ready for us to come in?" 

"Yes!" Adaine says, smooths her ponytail nervously. They all went to lunch together on Sunday and there had been a little hand-holding and a lot of flirting, but no clear declaration of any kind of intentions. There's a groupchat with the three of them now, _ladies of the lake_ , a reference Ayda approved of to some old myth about a group of dwarven women who lured power-hungry men to a lake with the promise of kingship and then killed them. "Come on in." Ayda's kids are a boisterous group, and she sets them to work making a paper-mache eagle to enter into the contest. They're twelve or thirteen so she feels like she probably doesn't need to be super hands-on to be sure nobody eats the paste, so Adaine just plops herself down into the chair beside Ayda. 

"You look nice today," Ayda says, and Adaine's truly too startled to say anything, just flushes. "I mean, you looked nice the other days I saw you. But you also look nice today." 

"Thank you," Adaine says, and her face is truly burning right now. "You also look nice. I like the tie-dye." 

Ayda's wings shuffle a little bit and she looks pleased, but also bemused. "You tie-dyed this shirt for me, Adaine." 

"Yes," Adaine says, and in a rush of courage, "I like seeing you in something I made." Her whole face is literally going to burst into flames; she's got to be red all the way to the tips of her ears. She spent way, way too long on that shirt, getting the spiral of red to green to blue just right without the colors bleeding together too much. There are two failed versions of it that Adaine abandoned in the lost and found.

Ayda nods sharply and it's difficult to say if her hair is sparking more or less than it was previously. "It's a good shirt. A perfect spiral. And there's no tag. I hate tags." 

"I always cut them out before I tie-dye shirts, it keeps the back from getting messed up," Adaine says, but internally she's so pleased that Ayda likes it that she feels full to bursting. "You'll be at the campfire tonight, right?" 

"Yes," Ayda says, nodding, but her eyes fix on a camper and leave Adaine's face. "Henry, please do not put paper-mache on Sanjana's face." 

Henry and Sanjana both grumble protests, but they acquiesce. Adaine briefly wishes that she worked at a camp with campers who actually listen to adults, but then she sees the eagle Ayda's kids are working on and is grateful again to have her kids. Messy little fuckers, but creative and passably artistic. 

"Will you be at the campfire tonight?" Ayda asks.  
  


"Yes, definitely! You should come sit with me and Fig if you can. We always get spots right next to the s'mores table so we can be the first to get at the extra chocolate." Maybe that's too rambly of her to spill out, but Ayda seems to get it 

"An excellent stratagem. I will sit with you if I am able." 

//

"Mr. Zelda's Boyfriend," Esther says sadly to Gorgug. "I can't find Zeld _aaa_." 

The waterworks are imminent, so Gorgug scoops her up to his chest. Zelda's Chipmunks are really so very tiny. Esther's long elven ears are pressed flat against her skull in sadness and fear, and he gives her the best hug he can. 

"I gotcha bud," he says to her, and sets off on the path towards the main building. Discovery is kinda hard to navigate, even for Pine Lake returners. It's really no surprise that one or two little ones have gotten lost today in the rush of activities. Zelda had texted him her schedule for the day that morning, so he knows she's going to be in the main hall building soda rockets with her campers. 

Esther's sobs peter out against his shoulder, but she keeps clinging to the front of his shirt until they're inside. She spots Zelda before he does and wriggles out of his arms to take off running to her friends. Gorgug follows and drops his bag beside Zelda's before sitting on the floor against the wall. 

"Where did you go off to?" Zelda asks Esther and Esther shrugs, fully recovered from her ordeal. Zelda gives Gorgug a confused smile, and then returns to their little project. 

//

Ayda sits between Fig and Adaine at the campfire which is awesome. She's super warm and good to lean into while Jawbone regales them all with his finest ghost stories. 

"Would it be alright if I-" Ayda asks, and Fig's nodding already without even knowing what it is. Ayda puts her arm around Fig's shoulders and Fig's heart melts a little more. 

"Shhh," Adaine says softly, and they do shush because Jawbone is telling the story of The Nightmare King, which is Adaine's absolute favorite. Fig gets the unique pleasure of watching Ayda watch Adaine listen to the story. Ayda's face is sharp and honest and lovely and when the big twist comes, Adaine grabs her hand and Ayda holds on firmly. It's really nice, really really nice, maybe the best thing that's ever happened to Fig. She pops another piece of chocolate from the bar Adaine nicked for her from the table into her mouth and lets the sugar dissolve on her tongue. 

Jawbone and Arthur announce the winners of the week as Camp Pine Lake, and everybody explodes into cheers. Normally Fig would be right in there yelling along with the other counselors, but tonight she just tucks herself a little tighter into Ayda, who's looking a bit alarmed at the hubbub but smiles down at Fig when she scooches closer.

**_Week five_ **

It's Wilderness Adventure week - the only time all summer where they actually take the kids properly camping. It's optional for the campers, but not so much for staff. They ask for volunteers first and Gorgug and Riz immediately volunteer, the absolute freaks. Then they draw straws to fill out the roster and Fabian must just have the absolute worst luck this summer because he's going too. Huzzah. 

They hike out into the middle of nowhere with the campers who were dumb enough to sign up for the excursion and pitch their tents in a little meadow that would probably be quite pretty if it weren't where they're going to sleep tonight. Riz is terrible at setting up the tents so he leaves Fabian with the jumble of poles and takes off to start a game of red light green light with the kids. It's probably for the best that Fabian does it himself, busying himself with mallets and poles.

Their tent goes up and then. He realizes. 

There's only one bedroll. 

Fabian is going to kill Kristen. He can feel her laughing from here, can hear the echo of her laughing as she spent the weekend shift packing the bags for this week. He fumes as he helps Gorgug and the other counselors set up all the camper tents. Fabian's seriously considering stealing a camper's bedroll when Tracker clamps one hand on his shoulder and smiles at him with all her teeth. "Something wrong, Fabian?" 

He grits his teeth and swears a vow of revenge. "Nope." 

"Good," Tracker says, claps him on the back a little too hard. "Go check in with your campers." 

So many of the Orcas are doing the overnight. Fabian usually likes his boys, they're annoying but not too terrible yet, but today. Today he just can't with them because in six hours he's either going to be sleeping on the hard ground or listening to Riz complain about sleeping on the hard ground.

Ragh builds the fire, the fucking pyro, and they eat burnt hot dogs and s'mores for dinner. It's physically impossible to cook a hotdog on a fire in a reasonable amount of time without burning the crap out of it. Everything about this is a nightmare and he _still hasn't told Riz_ about the bunking situation. It's getting cold tonight and he wishes he had brought sweatpants but all he can do is burrow in his hoodie and sit close to the fire. There's ghost stories and flashlight tag and they finally bundle their campers into their tents at nearly one am. 

Riz is about to duck into the tent when Fabian grabs his shoulder. "Uh, Riz," he says. "I need to-" 

Riz looks up at him and must roll pretty well because his eyes widen. "Kristen didn't." 

"She did," Fabian says. 

"Asshole," Riz mumbles. "Do you want to-I mean, we can share?" 

Fabian's already got a fist out to rock-paper-scissors for it because sharing is so fucking far from where he thought Riz was going with this. "We can?" 

"I mean," it's dark and Riz is hard to read in the dark. "I'm pretty small, it's probably big enough for us both." 

"Okay," Fabian says, because what else is he supposed to say? It'll be warmer with two people anyways. "Can't blow our cover, amiright?" 

Riz snorts and ducks into the tent. They just barely squeeze onto the bedroll - Fabian has to be on his side but Riz can lie on his back since he's smaller. It's only a few points of contact between them, Riz's feet at the top of Fabian's knees, the side of his arm against Fabian's chest. Perfectly do-able. They both fall asleep quickly, exhausted from the day. 

Fabian wakes up with the sun which sucks because it's like, five am. Riz has turned in his sleep and his face is buried into Fabian's chest, and Fabian's arm is slung over his back. It's almost sweet, really, how soft Riz looks when he's out cold, and Fabian can feel the way their chests rise and fall against each other. He's not - disappointed, exactly, when it's easy for him to scoot away from Riz and leave the tent without waking him. Riz just burrows into the warm spot where Fabian had been and keeps sleeping. 

//

Kristen was pretty skeptical about the whole boat date thing. She's got a history with the camp fleet and none of it is good. But Tracker had given her the puppy dog eyes and lots of little kisses on her face until she agreed, so here they are on a fine Saturday afternoon, drifting along the shore of the lake through the lily pads just beyond the reeds. 

It has been a nice date, scooting around the lake with the motor on low and then turning the engine off and just letting the water push them around. Kristen lies out across the benches and closes her eyes against the early afternoon sun. Tracker hands her a juice pouch and stretches out beside her.

"Not so bad, huh?" Tracker asks smugly. 

Kristen pretends to think about it and slurps at her capri sun. "It's alright," she says. She can practically hear Tracker rolling her eyes at her as she snorts. She turns her head so she can look at Tracker and Tracker turns to look at her too, links their pinkies together. "It's really nice. You're really nice. I love you." 

Tracker's jaw drops but her nose is crinkling the way it does when she properly smiles when nobody is really looking. "You - beat me - I'm - planned this for _ages_ \- I love you too."

//

"Let's talk about this," Adaine says. She is the queen of responsibility and healthy relationships, but the court jester of timing.The three of them are curled up in Adaine's bunk, legs in a messy tangle and swapping lazy kisses between the three of them and Fig is reticent to let that end in favor of tricky conversations.

"I would love to talk about this," Ayda says, sits up a little straighter and buffets Fig a little with one wing. Her feathers are glossy and kind of tickle. Fig's gonna work up the courage to ask to touch them intentionally one of these days. "What would you like to talk about?" 

"Well," Adaine says, and she's pulling up the notes app on her phone because she already talked to Fig last night and they made a little list of 'I' statements together. "I feel that we should decide about what exactly we're doing here. I would like to put a label to this relationship and I would also like to talk about the future and where this is going once camp is done for the summer."

"Well, we're not wives," Ayda says and all the air shoots out of Fig's lungs in surprise. "That would require a formal ceremony. Girlfriends, I think, would be appropriate." 

Adaine's nodding and adding notes to her phone. She seems far less phased by the whole _wives_ thing than Fig was, but her ear tips are twitching a little in a bouncey way that means she's excited or nervous. "Okay. I really like the idea of being girlfriends. Do you want us all to keep dating once the summer ends?" 

"Yes," Fig says, despite her fear and the nerves in her tummy, because this is a three person conversation that deserves her honesty. "I also like girlfriends as a label, and I would like us to keep dating when we all get back to Elmville. Preferably we would go to Basrar's as often as possible." 

"Who is Basrar?" Ayda asks and Adaine mimes fainting while Fig gapes at her. 

"Basrar is a djinn who makes the best ice cream you'll ever eat." 

"That sounds wonderful. I would like to go to this Basrar's for ice cream with both of you as a date. And to go on other dates, and to continue to hold hands and kiss." 

"And cuddle," Adaine chimes in. "Cuddling is very important to me personally."

Ayda nods and uses one of her wings to scoop Adaine a little closer to her. She turns to Fig. "Is all this agreeable to you as well?" 

"Yes," and Fig doesn't wait for Ayda to move her, just wriggles a little bit further into her lap and leans her head against Ayda's shoulder. Adaine smiles at her, eyes so bright, and Fig's feeling just a lot of things right now and all of them are good.

  
  


**_Week six_ **

Fabian and Riz are walking the long way around the lake to go smoke up with Tracker and some of the others, just shooting the shit as they laugh and stumble through the dark, bouncing off of each other a little bit. Riz pauses when they're behind the boathouse, looks towards a very faint trail that leads off into the woods. 

“Wait, what’s back here?” He asks and immediately splits off into the woods. "I've never been back here before; look, there's a little path!"

Fabian knows what’s back there and what this place is called. Riz was _here_ last summer, he should know but he _doesn't_ which is! Fabian _very much does not want to have to explain this_ , can already feel heat rising in his face but Riz is already tromping through the woods, so he sighs and follows. 

The path is short and ends in a little rocky outcropping over one of the deeper gullies that cuts through the woods. There’s a tire swing on one of the trees and some biggish boulders are scattered around. Riz is standing on the edge of the ravine, one hand on a tree for support as he looks down over the edge. Fabian walks up behind him, makes sure to crunch on the leaves to be sure Riz hears him coming. 

Riz turns to him, and he’s standing on a bit of rock so he’s Fabian’s height. “This is cool,” he says, and his voice is kinda low and it’s just barely twilight. They are standing very close together in the middle of _Makeout Point_ after a whole summer of flirting and pretending to be _boyfriends_ and Riz is _wearing_ **_Fabian's_ ** _hoodie_ that he _"borrowed"_ and Fabian just. Grabs his waist and pulls him in for a kiss. 

It’s objectively a pretty shit kiss to begin with but then Riz tilts his head and kisses him back. And _oh_ . His mouth is soft and his fangs are a little sharp and his arms wind around Fabian's neck and Riz is _kissing him_. 

It's nice. It's really nice. Fabian tugs him close, fists his hands into the back of Riz's hoodie. Riz's hands slide through his hair and his claws dig in a little bit but it's not too bad.

"Wow," Riz says when they finally manage to separate themselves just a bit. "Can't believe I got my kisses in at Makeout Point." 

That _sneaky_ little - Fabian just kisses him again. Everyone waiting for them on the far side of the lake is going to wonder where the hell they are and they're for sure going to get ripped into tomorrow morning at breakfast but right now he's just. Gonna live in this moment with Riz warm in his arms. 

//

The closing ceremony is one of those happy-messy-sad events where everyone cries but is also laughing. Jawbone gives his little speech - the same one he gives every year, about loving each other and the magic of nature and all that. Then it's time for the final sign-out of the year and Fig gets roped into helping Adaine make sure everyone's art makes it home with them. 

Adaine's mostly got it and Fig only messes up her system when trying to help, so she just gets to watch the crowd dwindle as kids leave with their parents. Fabian is definitely crying but pretending to not be because all of his boys are sobbing hysterically in the big group hug they're all caught up in. Kristen does her cabin handshake with all her girls and gives them the friendship bracelets she made in an absolute frenzy during last night's campfire. Riz is sitting in the parking lot in the back of one of the other lifeguard's pickup trucks, waving goodbye and slapping high-fives to campers as they head out. Gorgug is helping Zelda's campers carry their suitcases to their cars and is politely chatting with parents on the way.

It's all so sweet and sad; Fig doesn't think she's gonna cry, not right now, but it's definitely on the horizon. She drapes herself over Adaine's shoulder when the last of the kids are heading out. They've got about an hour now to pack up their entire room before their dinner plans with Ayda at six in town. 

"Don't kiss me until we're done," Adaine says firmly when they survey the mess of strewn clothes and books and makeup that awaits them in their bunk. "I don't think we'll finish on time otherwise, and I don't want to worry her by making her wait for us." 

It's a blurry half hour of stuffing suitcases and duffel bags full of their belongings and then loading up the truck of Adaine's hatchback. They wave good-bye to Jawbone at the gates of camp and putter up the road away from camp and towards their senior year.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](https://elsie-writes.tumblr.com)
> 
> this took one (1) million years to fucking finish and i owe Ali a great debt for cheerleading me thru it
> 
> this is my second fic to have grease lyrics as the title, which should tell u a lot about who i was in high school


End file.
